In a Sporting News column, Gallen questioned Pearce’s decision to sign with the club, saying he feared the NSW halfback’s representative career could go up in smoke.

“ ... While he will be well compensated financially at the Knights, I will say he has taken a huge risk footy-wise in signing on with the current wooden spooners,” Gallen wrote.

“In my opinion, Newcastle are two or three years away from being a consistent top eight side.

“As for winning competitions, well, I just can’t see that happening for a long, long time.

“ ... At the Roosters, Mitchell shared a dressing-room with internationals and State of Origin players.

“That won’t be the case at the Knights and I fear Mitch’s rep career may be a casualty of having to do it all at club level.”

On Friday, Brown returned serve, believing Gallen was simply disappointed Pearce had rejected the Sharks.

The Knights mentor also said Gallen had a short memory when it came to his own club’s recent history.

“Gal’s not long off pulling the pin, he’ll play for another year or two, and he’s going to get into the media and he’s got to make big calls,” Brown said.

“He’s probably forgotten that it was four or five years ago that Cronulla were last and had drugs charges against them and were going nowhere.

“Through Paul Gallen, with the help of Darren Mooney and Shane Flanagan, they signed Luke Lewis and Michael Ennis and they won a comp.

“If Gal looks back at that and sees the players we’ve signed, he’s probably a little disappointed because his window of winning another comp is closing and Mitchell Pearce helps him win another one quicker than what anyone else does.”

In a Sporting News column, Gallen questioned Pearce’s decision to sign with the club, saying he feared the NSW halfback’s representative career could go up in smoke.

“ ... While he will be well compensated financially at the Knights, I will say he has taken a huge risk footy-wise in signing on with the current wooden spooners,” Gallen wrote.

“In my opinion, Newcastle are two or three years away from being a consistent top eight side.

“As for winning competitions, well, I just can’t see that happening for a long, long time.

“ ... At the Roosters, Mitchell shared a dressing-room with internationals and State of Origin players.

“That won’t be the case at the Knights and I fear Mitch’s rep career may be a casualty of having to do it all at club level.”

On Friday, Brown returned serve, believing Gallen was simply disappointed Pearce had rejected the Sharks.

The Knights mentor also said Gallen had a short memory when it came to his own club’s recent history.

“Gal’s not long off pulling the pin, he’ll play for another year or two, and he’s going to get into the media and he’s got to make big calls,” Brown said.

“He’s probably forgotten that it was four or five years ago that Cronulla were last and had drugs charges against them and were going nowhere.

“Through Paul Gallen, with the help of Darren Mooney and Shane Flanagan, they signed Luke Lewis and Michael Ennis and they won a comp.

“If Gal looks back at that and sees the players we’ve signed, he’s probably a little disappointed because his window of winning another comp is closing and Mitchell Pearce helps him win another one quicker than what anyone else does.”

I love Nathan Browns honesty whenever he is interviewed. On the flip side i hate Gallen so much.

Gallen's a wanker and just ticked off that his money-grubbing club couldn't snare yet another marquee player. Hope his comments come back to bite him and Newcastle finish on top of Cronulka next season. Short memory indeed!

good luck to newcastle.The area deserves success.
betcha nathan brown is getting the giggles.With the pearce signing his coaching career has been extended
for at least another 12 months.

I wonder how long Brown's career will last if Newcastle doesn't make the playoffs.

I have to say Pearce has placed his career in jeopardy signing with the Knights. One team town, huge expectations on him and huge salary. The Sharks were always the best option with a proven and tough team of players who have won the comp plus Moylan and Dugan.

good luck to newcastle.The area deserves success.
betcha nathan brown is getting the giggles.With the pearce signing his coaching career has been extended
for at least another 12 months.

I wonder how long Brown's career will last if Newcastle doesn't make the playoffs.

I have to say Pearce has placed his career in jeopardy signing with the Knights. One team town, huge expectations on him and huge salary. The Sharks were always the best option with a proven and tough team of players who have won the comp plus Moylan and Dugan.

Spot on. It’s good for the game Pearce has gone to the Knights they will be competitive. Gallen is right though Pearce should have gone to the Sharks if he wanted to win now. At the end of the day money talks as does the likely paid appearances on the Marty Johns show.

Brave decision from Pearce - one Cronk wasnt prepared to take. Will pay off for him monetary wise, but I hope he is able to make a difference with the Knights. Cronk pushing him out will be great incentive.

Last edited by Telltails on Mon 04 Dec, 2017 7:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

Gallen would know what winning the spoon feels like, or is he not included in the Cronulla squad that won the spoon because he was serving a suspension as a confirmed performance enhancing drugs cheat?

I imagine there's a great deal of schadenfraude being enjoyed by the old Wests fans here.

I don't follow.

Manly missing out after shedding a player to accommodate him.

When did we do this? Was this why we shedded Hodgo all those years ago?
Did we shed someone to go for Brent Kite? I vaguely remember loosing Keith Galloway around then.
Did we shed someone thinking we would get a Manly player?

Outside of the 2016 premiership, gallen has been a loser his whole career. One year of success doesn't make up for 15 years of failure

I'm drunk and feeling real bitter by the way lol

Bitter or not, it is true. I used to have a soft spot for the Sharks because they were a good honest side that just couldn't get those big wins.

Now they have a comp, but at what price all that peptides nonsense and suspensions; I dont like the way they've since gone about their business, or the type of whingy, siege-mentality club they've become. Outside of Sharks fans, Gallen and Flanagan would have to be as unpopular as football personalities come. I've never seen an Origin captain so disliked by his own state, he just has such a selfish and petulant way about him, that does not garner respect.

Good for the fans that they finally jagged a trophy, because Wests fans know how that feels, but I would have been pleased enough if Gallen had retired sans premiership.